It’s not game over, but it’s pretty close.

But while I’m out of town my neighbor’s allies sweep in from the north, lay siege to my castle, and imprison my heir. I declare my intent to enforce a claim on a neighboring county, raise an army of a few thousand men, and march off into battle. So I decide to start a war, and that’s when things come crashing down around me. My vassals are happy enough, it seems, and my wife - a Polish princess - has my back, securing the border with her father, one of my most powerful neighbors. The clock is ticking, and it’s time to consolidate my power and lay the groundwork for my legacy.

Far from my duchy in Bohemia, the Battle of Hastings has just taken place, setting in motion an inevitable slide toward modernity. I’m only a few hours into a hands-on demo of Crusader Kings 3 when everything starts to go pear-shaped.